how old were the golden girls supposed to be how old were the golden girls supposed to be

Finally, Sophia is stated to be in her late 70s, suggesting that she was between 77 and 79. These ages seem to contradict what is stated in the show, suggesting that the characters may actually be younger than their stated ages. Disney's Michael Eisner explains, "Estelle Getty made our three women into girls. It ran from September 1992 to May 1993 and also starred Cheech Marin and Don Cheadle. Rue McClanahan is the youngest Golden Girl! Did Rue McClanahan have a Southern accent? Though Littlefield nixed their idea, he asked if they would be interested in delivering a pilot script for Miami Nice, instead. The main cast of The Golden Girls included Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux, Betty White as Rose Nylund, Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak, and Estelle Getty as Dorothys mother, Sophia Petrillo. Estelle Getty, however, was 62 in 1985, making her 17 years younger than the character she portrayed. In the first season of Golden Girls, it is revealed that Rose (Betty Whites character) was 55. In any event, Arthur chose to commit to a seventh and final season. Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak, Estelle Getty as Sophia Petrillo, Betty White as Rose Nylund, and Rue McClanahan as Blanche Devereaux in the 1985 sitcom The Golden Girls (Credit: NBC). [52], The house's address was mentioned as being 6151 Richmond Street, Miami. At some point, they would gather around the kitchen table and discuss the problem, sometimes late at night and often while eating cheesecake, ice cream, or some other dessert. Bea Arthur was not a part of the main cast but did guest star in a double episode, reprising her role as Dorothy.[106]. Reportedly, White doubted that she could effectively play the role of Rose. Rose was probably closer to 51 than her stated age of 55, and Sophia was likely closer to 79 than her stated age of 77. Although the womens ages were rarely disclosed, some deductive work may be used to approximate how old each Golden Girl was at the commencement of the series. Initially, the producers wanted Betty White to play Blanche because she had been famous for playing promiscuous characters in the past. The show never approached the popularity or acclaim of the original, and ranked 57th[citation needed] in the annual ratings. Vicki Lawrence as Thelma Harper and Betty White as Ellen Harper-Jackson in the 1983 sitcom Mamas Family (Credit: NBC). [11], Ideas for a comedy series about older women emerged during the filming of a television special at NBC Studios in Burbank, California, in August 1984. Fans of all ages still enjoy The Golden Girls and its actors today. By the end of the series, Rose was 62. This could be because the writers wanted to create an atmosphere of timelessness or to emphasize the idea that age is just a number. Theme: Newsup by Themeansar. ISBN978-0-06-242290-3. 3. It had a total of 180 half-hour episodes across its seven seasons. Beginning in 1990, Marc Cherry served as writer and producer, years before creating Desperate Housewives, which ran on ABC from 2004 to 2012. McClanahan insisted on the character having a thick Southern accent, a popular aspect of her character throughout the show. Producers wanted to cast McClanahan as Rose and White as Blanche based on roles they had previously played; White portrayed the man-hungry Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, while McClanahan co-starred as the sweet but scatterbrained Vivian Harmon in Maude. In the United Kingdom, the series aired on Channel 4, Living and Disney Channel. [56] In 2020, owners marketed the property for $3 million. While the characters' ages on the series seemed fairly clear-cutBlanche, Rose and Dorothy were in their mid-50s, while Sophia was Dorothy's widowed, elderly motherit may surprise fans to know that the actual ages of the actresses playing them were completely different. Win free shoes, organize your shoe closet, see the latest styles + more, About Dorothy states she is a Leo in Season 4, Episode 10, "Stan Takes a Wife," placing her birthday either in late July or early-to-late August. It is interesting to note that the ages of the characters are never directly addressed in the show. The story follows four older single women (three widows and one divorced) who share a home in Miami, Florida. In Canada, Corus Entertainment's digital specialty channel, DejaView, aired reruns of The Golden Girls until 2017. The women's ages were usually not explicitly stated, although some deductive work gives a pretty safe estimate of how old each Golden Girl was at the start of the series. The series starred Stephanie Hodge and a set of other young nurses. We can also look at other clues from the show itself. This faade, along with the Empty Nest house, sustained hurricane damage leading to Disney's 2003 decision to bulldoze the houses of "Residential Street" and construct its Lights, Motors, Action! During a conversation where Rose discusses her difficulty finding a new job after losing her previous one at the grief counseling center, Dorothy reveals that Rose is 55. It's a classic. Crypto Wallet Development: Types, Features, and Popularity, 5 Ways AI is Detecting and Preventing Identity Fraud. She is passionate about Princess Diana, the Titanic, the Romanovs, and Egypt amongst other things. [80] In 2020, CMT purchased the rights to the series. Rose Nylund is a character from the sitcom television series The Golden Girls and its spin-off, The Golden Palace. Dorothy, following an impassioned speech in which she told the girls that I love you, always, she says as she rushes back into the home through several entrances for their final goodbyes, before making her final exit, saying, Youll always be my sisters. Continually , leaving the other three females to fend for themselves. Sophia was never afraid to admit how old she was, often using it to her advantage over the other women in the house. Estimating the ages of the characters can be tricky, since the show never explicitly states their ages. Season 2, Episode 25, "A Piece of Cake," reveals Sophia celebrated her 50th birthday in 1956, putting her at 79 at The Golden Girls' beginning. Arthur flipped upon reading the script, but felt hesitant about McClanahan's approach, as she did not "want to play (their Maude characters) Maude and Vivian meet Sue Ann Nivens." Assuming her child would graduate at 17, that would make Blanche 48 in 1986 and 47 at the start of the series. Then, in Season 3, Episode 5, "Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself," Sophia tells Dorothy the story of the night Dorothy was conceived. [62] Evans generally dressed the actresses in expensive pieces and high-quality fabrics, despite the recurring theme that the four characters were struggling with money, because, "The main idea was to make them look good. It could also be because the show was trying to emphasize the idea that age is just a number and that life does not end at a certain age. For one thing, it did pave the way for a new terrain. [31] The suit was later settled. Last edited on 15 February 2023, at 17:40, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series Musical or Comedy, Lights, Motors, Action! Betty White as Rose Nylund in the 1985 sitcom The Golden Girls (Credit: NBC). The Golden Girls: How the Classic Sitcom Ended, Christina Ricci's Wednesday Addams Is Iconic for Pushing Boundaries. [57], The show's designer, Ed Stephenson, took inspiration from his time living in Florida to design a "Florida look" for The Golden Girls house set. One such source is the actors who played the characters. The program is about four elderly ladies who live . Based on the assumption that Season 1 and Season 2 took place in the same year, Rose would have been 55 at the start of The Golden Girls. The show became a huge hit with viewers, thanks to its clever writing and strong performances by the four main stars. Bea Arthur as Dorothy Zbornak in the 1985 sitcom The Golden Girls (Credit: NBC). She was born on July 25, 1923, making her 62 years old by the time the sitcom premiered. In 2022, we no longer believe that women need to lose their purpose once they hit the big 5-0. [2] Each of the four stars received an Emmy Award, making it one of only four sitcoms in the award's history to achieve this. As of 2016, it was the 17th-most watched television finale. It also won three Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series Musical or Comedy. Subscribe We will always remember Rue McClanahan, Betty White, Bea Arthur, and Estelle Getty for bringing joy into our lives and for being our friends. Betty White was famous in Hollywood for being a pioneer of television dating back to the 1950s. 41 Behind-the-Scenes 'The Golden Girls' Facts - 'Golden Girls' Trivia. At times, she even froze on camera while filming. [3] In 2013, TV Guide ranked The Golden Girls number 54 on its list of the 60 Best Series of All Time. Afterwards, Getty had returned to New York, but gained permission from her manager to return to California in early 1985. When the show hit TV screens in the 1980s, society believed that women in their 50s were more grandmotherly, and ready for retirement. Estelle Getty, who portrayed Sophia, was a year younger than Bea Arthur, who played Dorothy, Sophias daughter. She is also the only living core cast member from the series. The producers of The Golden Girls decided to cast Bea Arthur, Betty White, and Rue McClanahan after seeing them act alongside each other in shows like Maude (1972-1978) and Mamas Family (1983-1984). The Golden Girls Almost Had a Fifth Main Character - Here's Why He Was Dropped The Golden Girls broke boundaries with its main cast of older women, but it originally broke even more with the lost fifth member of the hit sitcom. According to Cherry, the writers' room was "a competitive atmosphere. That was the case. The Golden Girls first aired on September 14, 1985, and it continues to appeal to both young and older audiences. Soap lasted for four seasons and was marred by controversy due to Harriss insistence on including content that dealt with themes of sexuality, religion, and race. In "The Golden . In "The Golden Girls", Rose is 55, Dorothy is 53, Blanche is 47 and Sophia is 79. [70][self-published source?] In order to try and determine the real ages of the Golden Girls, we need to look at other sources of evidence. However, she wasn't much older than Bea Arthur. Please endeavor to share this article with family, friends, and colleagues. The show ran for seven seasons from 1985 to 1992 and featured four women in their golden years living together in Miami. In Season 4, Episode 10, Stan Takes a Wife, Dorothy declares that she is a Leo, indicating that her birthdate is in late July or early-to-late August. Saving the most difficult to track down for last, Rue McClanahan's character Blanche Devereaux kept her age a mystery (and a recurring joke) throughout most of The Golden Girls. Blanche (played by Rue McClanahan) was thought to be around 47 years old in the first season of Golden Girls. She would return home to New York if she were unsuccessful. 4. consisted of two back-to-back episodes of the sitcom: "Break-In" (season one, episode eight) and "Isn't It Romantic?" Their regular writer declined, so Witt asked his wife, Susan Harris,[24] who had been semiretired since the conclusion of their ABC series Soap. Sophia is to join her, but in the end, she stays behind with the other women in Miami. The Golden Girls is one of the most beloved and enduring sitcoms of all time. [4] In 2014, the Writers Guild of America placed the sitcom at number 69 in their list of the "101 Best Written TV Series of All Time". Space was limited on the soundstage, so when the kitchen was off camera, it was usually detached from the rest of the set and the space used for something else. According to the show, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) is 55 . The adventures of Dorothy (Bea Arthur), Blanche (Rue McClanahan), Rose ( universally beloved Betty White) and Sophia (Estelle Getty) -- four older women who lived in a Miami home together -- took audiences by storm and provided representation to a group generally overlooked by television of the time. For example, one or more of the women would become involved in some sort of problem, often involving other family members, men, or an ethical dilemma. Jan 31, 2023 Movie Features Harry Potter: Wait, How Are Bellatrix and Leta Lestrange Related? : Extreme Stunt Show attraction, later replaced by Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. For example, in the pilot episode, Blanche states that she is 54 going on 55, which would mean that her age at the start of the show was 54. She would start getting under a dark cloud the day before tape day You could see a big difference in her that day. [63] Much of Arthur's wardrobe was custom-made because at the time, finding off-the-rack clothing that was flattering for a taller woman was difficult. Maddy Hiltz is someone who loves all things history. Its a tiny marvel, looking back, that the Golden Girls magnificent casting came together as well as it did. Richard Vaczy and Tracy Gamble, previously writers on 227 and My Two Dads, also assumed the roles of producers and head writers. How Old Were the Golden Girls Supposed to Be? Required fields are marked *. This was the first time since 1993 that The Golden Palace was seen on American television. [67], The Golden Girls was shot on videotape in front of a live studio audience. In New Zealand, the series aired on TVNZ and is replayed on public holidays and it is shown on Jones!. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. Sophia was 86 by the series' end. As of December 1, 2021, every episode was made available to stream on Disney+. The reasons for her departure are speculative, but the popular theory is that Arthur felt as though the quality of the sitcom had begun to slip by the seventh season, and she wanted to leave while the show was still popular. The show promptly received a full order of 12 episodes. But one of the questions that has always been asked is: how old were the Golden Girls characters supposed to be? Audiences can figure things out with a little detective work. Getty figured it would be her last chance to find television or film work. So why do the ladies in Golden Girls seem so much older than the characters in And Just Like That, even though theyre all supposed to be around the same age? In conclusion, the evidence suggests that the Golden Girls characters were actually younger than their stated ages. Initially, the producers of the show had planned for Getty only to be a recurring guest. Arguably the main protagonist of the show, Blanche Devereaux is portrayed by Rue McClanahan. Getty was the first of the four stars to die in 2008 at age 84. According to the calculations, Dorothy was 53 at the start of the series, according to the, Blanche was 17 in 1949, according to Season 3, Episode 25, , Blanche lied to her housemates about her age so easily (and Sophia promptly called her out and said shed be 70 when the kid graduated), its reasonable to, Fun Things to Do for Mothers Day Filled With Activities, Hilarious Thanksgiving Puns for Your Friends and Family, 60 Sweet Merry Christmas Wishes for Mothers 2021 Update, Applauding Employee Appreciation Quotes Befitting for Hardworking Staff, Heart Warming One Month Anniversary Wishes Latest Update 2021, Adorable Thanks for Birthday Wishes Messages to Send Someone. Casting director Judith Weiner had seen Torch Song Trilogy, and thought Getty was terrific in it. In an interview with The Village Voice in 2011, White stated that Arthur found me a pain in the neck sometimes. At least two females were forced to change roles! Styles The series finale of The Golden Girls was watched by 27.2 million viewers. Going by the math, that makes Blanche 53 at the start of the series. Why is Good UI/UX Design Imperative for Business Success? Blanche was probably around 50, Dorothy was likely in her late 40s, Rose was probably closer to 51, and Sophia was likely closer to 79. Shopping Guide Levin had been suggested by then-NBC president Brandon Tartikoff based on Levin's groundbreaking portrayal of a recurring gay character, Eddie Gregg, on NBC's Emmy-winning drama Hill Street Blues. Lifetime, which held the rights to The Golden Girls at the time, aired reruns of The Golden Palace in the summer of 2005, and again in December of that year. Unlike anything we had ever seen on television before, The Golden Girls featured an ensemble cast of four older single women (Bea Arthur, Betty White, Rue McClanahan and Estelle Getty) sharing. RELATED: How Old Were the Golden Girls Supposed to Be? [55] Producers used this residence for exterior shots during the first two seasons. According to the math, Blanche was 53 at the start of the series. You have a lot of table reads where the actors will mess it up because they don't understand what the characters are doing, or they misinterpret. The women's ages were usually not explicitly stated, although some deductive work gives a pretty safe estimate of how old each Golden Girl was at the start of the series. The film featured five episodes from the show: "The Pilot", "The Flu", "The Way We Met", "Ladies of the Evening" and "Grab That Dough". [24][30], In the pilot script, Blanche was described as "more Southern than Blanche DuBois", so McClanahan was perplexed when she was asked by director Sandrich during the filming of the pilot not to use the strong Southern accent she had developed, but to use her natural Oklahoma accent instead. 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